Men of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State, VSO, yesterday went berserk in Abeokuta killing a staff of telecommunication giant, MTN Nigeria, Akeem Usman and a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Moruf Raji in the process.
The vigilante who were chasing after suspected armed robbers at Adigbe around 1.00am traced the robbers to 18A, Sorinola Avenue, Oriyanrin and ordered occupants to throw open the gate, and allow them search the building for the suspected robbers who they believed hid within the premises.
However, the residents who were mostly students believed that the men were not vigilante but armed robbers who had come to dispossess them of their belongings and were only looking for a way to gain entrance into the building.
An eyewitness told orijoreporter that it was at this juncture that the late Usman who recently turned 32 years old and got married late last year, and Moroof, a Business Administration student of MAPOLY who was on one-year Industrial attachment went out from their rooms and opened the gate for them but one of the men of VSO opened fire on the two men killing them instantly.
It was gathered that men of the VSO still went ahead to force their way into the compound after shooting the two men and ransacked the rooms, while the victims were bleeding profusely.
According to findings, Akeem worked in Lagos but came to Abeokuta to attend a religious programme scheduled for 10.00am on Sunday.
He was said to have resolved to sleep with a family-friend because of the proximity of the house to the venue of the programme.
His driver, Abayomi Awoyajo was also said to have sustained injury after being battered by the members of vigilante group during the raid.
Narrating the incident Abayomi said they were all inside when at about 1.00am, the vigilante men came asking them to open the door.
“We all thought they were armed robbers, we started running helter-skelter, some of us hid in the wardrobe, while some hid under the chairs,” he said.
The 30 year old driver, also said the two victims in pool of their blood crawled back into the house, crying loud, while the vigilantes forced their way into the house to continue dealing with all of them in a brutal manner.
“They even asked for brother Akeem’s car key which I gave to them, but, could not be taken out because of the security device installed in it, we were later rushed to the hospital” he explained.
However, as at the time of filing this report, all the members of the vigilante service that were involved in the act have been arrested by the police from Adigbe station.
The case was said to have been transferred to Eleweran Police Headquarters, Abeokuta but the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Muyiwa Adejobi could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.
